Tickets $30. Tickets available at Riverside Market, PEIFA office or from board members.

Call 902-393-0071

Recommended Management Practices for Agricultural Irrigation Ponds

Agriculture is the largest contributor of any resource sector to the economy of Prince Edward Island. Rainfall patterns have changed in recent years and in some cases, some farmers are interested in irrigating crops to ensure yield and quality. MORE

A hay shortage in parts of southern Saskatchewan is causing problems for the agriculture industry in the province and may deal a killing blow to smaller cattle operations, says the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan. MORE

The Enhanced Environmental Farm Plan Program sent out renewal letters in early 2017 to notify producers that their environmental farms plans would be expiring at the end of the year. If you are a producer who has not yet contacted the office to have your plan updated please call Matt or JoAnn at 902-368-7289.

EFP’s are valid for 5 years and we encourage all farmers to participate in the program. Participation in the program also allows you to apply for funding through the Growing Forward 2 Agriculture Stewardship Program, Farmland Finance Program and the Future Farmer Program. For your convenience the EFP can be completed at your farm or at the PEI Federation of Agricultural office and takes approximately 1.5 hrs to complete. EFP’s are no cost to the producer.

If you feel your EFP may be expired and you have not yet been contacted please call the office and we will check the status of your last plan. Further information on the Enhanced Environmental Farm Plan Program can be found on the PEI Federation of Agriculture webpage www.peifa.ca/efp/

Client Satisfaction Survey: Business Risk Management Programs

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, in collaboration with provincial partners, has launched an online survey seeking producers’ input on the level of satisfaction with our Business Risk Management (BRM) programs (AgriStability, AgriInvest, AgriInsurance, and Advance Payments Program). The survey is intended to be completed by producers who have applied to these programs in recent years and focuses on their experience with them.

Results from this survey will help us understand client expectations and improve BRM program delivery services.

The anonymous survey will be available until July 31, 2017 and will take approximately 5-10 minutes to complete.

Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures finished in bullish territory for a third straight session on Thursday, helped by firmer wholesale beef values, said traders. MORE

Meat industry blamed for ocean pollution
Pollution from the meat industry is being blamed for a dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico at a time when researchers say the dead zone will the third-largest in history this summer – as big as New Jersey. MORE

US Beef Industry Champions FTA

The US beef industry urged Washington not to change the free trade agreement with South Korea because it’s been so beneficial to it. MORE

Cargill is now the exclusive producer of the Simply Essentials™ brand of premium Black Angus beef products. Cattle dedicated to the Simply Essentials™ brand are fed a proprietary, flaxseed-based diet prior to harvest. MORE

Finance Minister to Discuss Frozen Beef Import Tariffs with US

Finance Minister Taro Aso said Tuesday that Tokyo would raise the issue of tariffs on frozen beef imports from the United States and other countries in bilateral economic talks with Washington later this year. MORE

Taiwan’s Restart of Honduran Beef Imports Marked with Pomp

The first batch of beef imported from Honduras in several years arrived in Taiwan on Tuesday last week, fulfilling President Tsai Ing-wen’s promise made earlier this year during a visit to the Central American ally to bolster bilateral cooperation in agriculture, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday. MORE

How $4.2 billion became $350 million
Canada’s dairy industry will have to make do with $350 from the federal government to prepare it for free trade with Europe. MORE

ASF Kills 150 Pigs in Brong Ahafo Region

About 150 pigs have been killed at Twoaho in the Tano North District of the Brong Ahafo Region following an outbreak of the African Swine Fever. MORE

HCM City Seeks to Trace Pork Origins

Starting Monday (31 August), only pork with traceable origins is ostensibly allowed to enter HCM City’s two wholesale markets, but inspections by authorities found that only around 13 per cent of the pork in the markets actually had clear origins, according to the Department of Industry and Trade. MORE

Russia Limits Live Pigs, Pork Imports from Romania

The Sanitary-Veterinary Authority from Russia (Rosselkhoznadzor) announced this Wednesday that starting 2 August, it introduced temporary restrictions regarding live pigs and pork imports from Romania, after the discovery of a virus, according to Itar-TASS. MORE

Unions Demand Compensation for Lety Pig Farm Employees

The trade unions of agriculture workers have demanded a compensation amounting to two-year wages for the employees of the pig farm in Lety, south Bohemia, situated at the site of a former Nazi camp for the Roma, if the state bought it, the unions told CTK today. MORE

Three types of potatoes genetically engineered by an Idaho company to resist the pathogen that caused the Irish potato famine are safe for the environment and safe to eat, Canadian officials said recently. MORE

MCCAIN FOODS LIMITED ANNOUNCES SENIOR LEADERSHIP SUCCESSION PLAN

McCain Foods Limited’s Board of Directors has unanimously approved the appointment of Max Koeune to the role of President and CEO effective November 1st, 2017. MORE

Colorado Crop Promising; Demand Slightly Down

The Colorado potato crop looks excellent, but prices are stagnant, raising hopes that the Trump administration’s much-discussed renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) will make headway in opening greater access to the Mexican market. MORE

Equipment provider Tummers announced the recent development in its range of machinery, as the company says that is continuously working on improving their machinery, the process, service and other aspects to apply to the demands of the market. MORE

Volm Opens New Facility in Washington

Volm Companies, an industry leader in providing the highest-quality packaging and equipment solutions to the fresh produce industry, has opened its new 90,000-square-foot facility in Pasco, Wash. A ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house were held July 25 at the property site. MORE

Avebe finds fertile land at the Zernike Campus to ‘grow’ their new Innovation Centre

A potato time capsule was taken as the symbolic basis for ongoing innovative development by Hans Hoekman, chairman of Avebe’s Supervisory Board, and Ed Kraaijenzank, CFO, also vice-chairman of the Avebe’s Board of Directors. MORE

Some producers in the south have started harvest, according to the latest Saskatchewan Agriculture crop report for the week ended July 31. MORE

Flowery fragrance touted as new hort pest control

Methyl benzoate’s spicy, floral-fruity aromas make it a popular ingredient in perfumes, soaps, and shampoos. MORE

Hail damage in soybeans continues to rise

Soybeans are having a ‘hail’ of a time in Manitoba, thanks to two of the worst years for hail damage in recent memory. MORE

Something old for something new

The key to branding any product is to start with a good story, and the recently re-instated registration of OAC21, a six-rowed malting barley, is a “feel good” story, particularly with Canada’s 150th anniversary in 2017. MORE

Beneficials on the rise against soybean aphids, root rot, fusarium in fields

Diamondback moth continues to be a concern in some areas, although it is the pupa stage that is now dominant in some fields. MORE

Argentine wheat seedings slowed by rain

Argentina’s hope for a near-record wheat crop have been dampened by excessive rain and below-average seedings. MORE

Soybeans fall to 1-month low as weather boosts prospects

U.S. soybean futures dipped to a one-month low on Thursday as beneficial rains crossed the Midwest crop belt, bolstering yield prospects for the oilseed crop, traders said. MORE

Researchers find soybean substitute for microbeads
Researchers have found a substitute for plastic microbes that threaten ocean environments and were banned in the United States in 2015. MORE

Hot, dry American summer unlikely to dent USDA’s corn harvest view

The full impact of a hot and dry summer in the U.S. Midwest is unlikely to show up in the government’s next estimate of the U.S. corn crop as it typically makes just small adjustments to its harvest outlook during August. MORE

Asian taste for western diet boosts Australian wheat

Vietnam has quietly grown to become Australia’s second largest export destination for wheat. MORE

3A Airbrakes Test Facilitation
***UPDATE–WE ARE NOW TAKING NAMES FOR OTHER DATES THAT MAYBE OFFERED FOR 3A TRAINING IF INTERESTED PLEASE GET YOUR NAME ON A WAITING LIST FOR THE NEXT TRAINING SESSIONS!! WE MAYBE OFFERING SESSIONS IN JULY, AUGUST & SEPTEMBER***

From field to road…do you have employees that drive your trucks, but don’t have their licenses?

We are looking for experienced drivers that would like to obtain their Airbrakes and Class 3A license.

The PEI Agriculture Sector Council will be facilitating these two courses through JVI and Access.

This project will be processed through the Canada Job Grant and Skills PEI.

Draft Schedule:

Day 1- Airbrake theory

Day 2- Review of Airbrakes and Airbrake test (written on site), Preform a pre-use inspection

Day 3- Driving and Testing for Class 3A (time scheduled test on site)

Day 4- Driving and Testing for Class 3A (time scheduled test on site)

Requirements- must have valid truck driving experience, but not licensed & Medical completed and returned

Lunch will be provided

For more details on registration requirements, contact Laurie at 892-1091.

Registration is now open, limited seating available. To sign up, contact the PEI Agriculture Sector Council at 892-1091 or e-mail info@peiagsc.ca

SAVE THE DATE

PEI Open Farm Day 2017 – Sunday, September 17th

Agricultural Youth Green Jobs Initiative

The Agricultural Youth Green Jobs Initiative has been approved for a 2 year period. Applications will be accepted starting April 26, 2017.

The program is designed to hire youth aged 15 to 30 for internships of up to 12 months. It will be of interest to producers and organizations working in the agriculture industry and interested in implementing agriculture projects that are environmentally beneficial.

Producers operating a farm or ranch can hire a young person to implement an environmentally beneficial project in their operation.

Agricultural organizations, such as watershed groups and companies providing environmentally beneficial services can access the program to support an environmentally beneficial project their organization is implementing. Research organizations can receive funding to support their agricultural research that benefits the environment.